Favorite Spots in Oklahoma City

June 7, 2018

A few weeks ago I discovered a new company called Whaat? Studio that creates a line of shirts called Lovetees, among many other things. These custom tees feature all 50 states, big cities and a handful of countries. As you can imagine, I jumped at the opportunity to highlight Oklahoma and share some of our new favorite spots around the city with Brady by my side in our matching tees.

Being born and raised in Oklahoma, I've seen this state go through so many changes. None of them, though, have been as drastic as the changes I've seen over the last five years. When we moved to Dallas in 2012, we were so excited to get to a big city with more activities and opportunities, and let me tell you... we loved it. We returned to Oklahoma City two years later after having Brady and were shocked at how much had changed in that short amount of time. Over the three years we've been back, and even now, we see new construction everywhere. From skyscrapers and highways to restaurants and entertainment venues, and even beautiful new parks and highly anticipated retail establishments... the economic growth is just insane.

One of our new favorite spots is Wheeler Park in the Wheeler District, just south of Downtown Oklahoma City (where our photos were taken above). This is a relatively new district that will soon transform into a super modern neighborhood with urban cottages, townhomes and a school. The park is situated along the Oklahoma River and is home to a colorful Ferris Wheel, an array of hammocks for visitors to lounge on, swings, outdoor games and a concession stand with healthy snack options. Just over two years ago they installed the Ferris Wheel as an official opening of the district. But this isn't just any Ferris Wheel, it's the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel from the California coast. Makes it even cooler, right?

In addition to Wheeler Park, there are several new places around the area that we frequent quite often. We love adventuring in the Boathouse District, just minutes down the river. A few miles north is our favorite new restaurant/concert venue, The Jones Assembly (read my review here), and a few more miles north is Capitals, an ice cream and coffee shop that is unlike anything I've seen before. Construction also just began on a large park a few blocks south of Chesapeake Arena (a few miles east of Wheeler Park) that will be very similar to Klyde Warren Park in Dallas. Speaking of Dallas, OKC will open their first streetcar later this year, running all throughout Downtown and Midtown. It's almost like we brought a little bit of Uptown Dallas home with us, right?!

None of these things existed just a few years ago. What I mentioned above is just a tiny glimpse into all of the new and exciting things going on in Oklahoma City and several of the surrounding communities. State parks are being exquisitely renovated, large companies are relocating their headquarters here and everything is just booming. It honestly makes me so proud to be from Oklahoma and to experience all of this growth and excitement. With all of these new opportunities and experiences, I hope it helps our kids appreciate and enjoy all of the great things Oklahoma has to offer as they grow up!